It was just like in a summer blockbuster movie. Down to the last second before the nuclear budget bomb was set to go off, would the bomb makers/defusers be able to stop fighting amongst themselves long enough to cut the right red wire and save us all? It sure had the main stream media on the edge of their seats what with every network running stories on the horrors that would descend upon us if it did explode at midnight.
On one side, you had the Republicans trying to blackmail their moralistic social agenda into this. On the other side, you had the Democrats pissing and moaning about… well, everything… as Obama stayed on the sidelines, doing nothing useful. And neither side not touching real spending cuts that would hurt their biggest contribu… er, um, constituents.
What did you think of the result? Was it worth the price of admission to see the popcorn chomping, fingernail biting, down to the wire battle to save Earth (the American taxpayer) from the space aliens (politicians) who wanted our woman (tax money) before they wiped us out?
Well Animby–I agree with your definitions but you didn’t say which one was worse. I see a bifurcation there. Being enamored makes changing one’s mind very difficult as the thought process has become dogma, and “knowing” the truth is always a good thing but why lie if perhaps the truth isn’t your guiding principle so there is nothing to learn? That process also being an emotional choice based on one’s life experiences?
You don’t “quite” say it, but you almost are saying that I am wrong to think that Pukes are killing our country because the Dumbo’s are corrupt as well, but I have often posted both parties are corrupt etc but that the Dumbo’s just give the masses a better break every once in a while, while the Puke never do. In a two party system, that makes the Pukes more reviled than the Dumbo’s.
All I’m doing is reviewing the facts and where my self interest lies–along with the other 99% of Americans. So, on what new, additional, or contrary facts should I put my intellect and value system to?
I also want a downsized government but your rhetoric about 1/3 of the gov being non-essentional is purely definitional and all in the context of a temporary state of affairs. I think that is YOU being caught out being dishonest.
I think the record for the past 20 years substantially supports my conclusion that the Republican Party is out to Kill America. Its not the Republican Party you and I grew up with voting for half the time.
I challenge anyone to set forth the argument that the Super Rich need more tax cuts while the poor, working, and middle classes need service cuts. Go ahead: make that argument.
If not, then Wake Up Fools. The Republicans want to Kill America but they can’t do it without your vote. Don’t vote for them if you support the idea of America.
Bobbo has more free time than most people do.
I knew I should have put money down on them playing it out to the last hour, and then “saving” the government from a shutdown. No surprise to me at all. But I think a better movie comparison would have been “Die Hard”. This one would have been Die Hard 5. Only nobody get killed, and nothing gets blown up (accept all the political rhetoric). And the House GOP leader isn’t reduced to tears (as usual). Some how this show played out far worse the Charlie Sheen’s “Violent Torpedo of Truth”. And probably cost the taxpayers more, to witness it. To bad The Congressional Review Act, doesn’t actually mean a review of what the US Congress does, in the form of a movie or stage ACT. I think it would get panned quite a lot. But some ACTs, a lot more than others.
#62–HMyers==you say: “Bobbo has more free time than most people do.” //// And that is true–by choice. A few decades ago I got fired from a high level position and I evaluated my position and decided I had enough money I didn’t need to work and what I had was the opportunity to “not work” and spend my time reading, thinking, reviewing my life. I didn’t know if that would be good or bad but I thought it would be unique===so thats what I went for.
At the time, I did not perceive blogging, which I do on several sites, as an appreciable activity, but such it has turned out to be. I should be more thoughtful, less reactive and put this all into a book, but I falter in contemplation of that.
I forget who said it, but I think it is true: we all have one great novel within us: the story of our lives. Too pedantic I think, while thinking that pedantic is not the right word. too plebeian? too average? too dull? found the girl, lost the girl, found the girl? Except I found the girl, lost the girl, found the girl, then lost the girl. My own tragedy, who else cares? Ha, ha. Yes, we all have our own stories. Bits and pieces of greatness in each and every one of us.
So HMyers, in your world, I should be ex-communicated. Ha. ha. Yes, like those two cute kiddie twins==we have a genetic compulsion to blah blah at each other. I do try purposefully to crack the egg==to get thru, to make the omelet. No guarantee it will work, just option number 3-C. Amuses me people “take offense” at such a light thing. A stand-in for something else.
HMyers–you fail to address any of the issues I challenged you with. Man or devo? Can you be the best person you know you should be?
Wake Up HMyers. The Republicans want to Kill America but they can’t do it without your vote.
Bobbo.
Hard to say which is worse. Especially since the two mindsets are so closely related. All in all, I’d say lying to yourself is worse than fooling yourself. Sort of like the king’s fool is worse than the village idiot. They both take all the crap their given but one knows what it is.
I do not think I was being dishonest with my comments about 1/3 of Federal employees being labeled as non-essential. I specifically added that did not mean they were unimportant. I think the rangers at Jellystone are very important. I just wonder if there are too many of them. (Is Yogi really THAT big a problem?) I think the curator of the Smithsonian is a very important position. But do there need to be so many assistants? In truth, I think we could have set the non-essential label on a bunch more staff. I’ve worked for bureaucracies and I know how the payroll gets padded. I’ve seen executive assistants who have their own assistants who have their own secretaries! And I wouldn’t stop with the rank and file. I’d say the Dept of Education is a bloated, non-essential entity and ought to be downsized or even dissolved. The EPA is a money waster that far exceeds it’s mandate and ought to be brought into line which would probably mean to about a third of it’s current size. (Think of all the lawyers who would end up back on the street!) Why are Education and EPA cabinet level posts? EPA I can almost understand but education? The States are responsible for education not the Feds, though they stick their nose in intrusively. Well, I could suggest more but those two ought to get me into enough trouble with all the liberals and progressives on this blog.
Now, Bobbo. We’ve had this discussion before: this is how I feel. I will not defend myself. So just stop formulating your attack right now. Power corrupts. Our government is about as corrupt as they come. They ignore the Constitution. They ignore the courts. They get rich off our backs.
The Rs & Ds may have slightly different social agendas but both want to consolidate power, promote their ideology and bank as much gelt as they possibly can. Preferably off-shore.
TEA, Sabellius? The theologian?
The “Budget Deal” was merely the annual show for the sheeple.
They were masturbating over $30B in cuts which is a tiny fraction of the budget. They (both) leave the sacred cow Entitlements and Military alone like spineless teabaggers.
Better yet, addressing the revenue part (increased taxes to the 5% that own 95% of the wealth) is not even mentioned.
INSTEAD, they talk about Planned Parenthood as if abortion was a big factor in a closed budget. Why? Because the fucking Christian Taliban has infiltrated our government.
#66 Not him, Sec. Baby Terminus K Sebelius.
#67 What’s wrong with you loons funding planned parenthood…what the frack does that nonsense have to do with a constitutional Federal Government…National Socialism (progressive), aka Nazis believed in Government planning of the population…not real Americans.
Only those with a definite commie pinko hue…
Commie Commie Commie pinko
…just helping DU get more Progressive posters when they google search for places to haunt.
Our current crop of loons are beginning to bore even themselves…
#67 Dallas – you got it all wrong. Take a look at this interesting article in the Huffington Post on: Why the Fucking Progressives Keep On Losing and the Right Keeps On Winning
http://goo.gl/zKCK8
Heh, heh.
#70 When is he not wrong.
#65–Animby==you revealingly say: “Now, Bobbo. We’ve had this discussion before: this is how I feel. I will not defend myself.” /// Our limited exchanges may be about “feelings” for you but they are all about facts, logic, rhetoric, argument, linguistics, and epistemology for me.
We mostly agree with each other, so hat do you want? I can only offer you two things: my honesty, or my silence.
How did you get so smart being so antagonistic to disagreement? What is disagreement except the most likely/easiest way to hone your own position, to gain a new idea? It is dishonest to speak out of both sides of your mouth, twice to the right, once to the left and then claim some kind of neutrality.
Yea, verily. Now to see if JB’s article is worth reading past the first paragraph. I hope I disagree with it and hope to be shown I’m wrong.
But, what are the odds?
Wake Up Fools. The Republicans want to Kill America but they can’t do it without your vote.
#72 Only repukes want to destroy america. You call that intelligence?
#70–JB==from the link: “Say what you will about Rep. Ryan’s budget proposal, it’s a vision. By proposing to dismantle Medicare for people retiring in 2021 and afterwards, he’s laid out a radical alternative to today’s policies. By slashing taxes for the wealthy and proposing deregulation for all industries, the Ryan plan envisions a future America: one where the environment is despoiled, the poor go unfed, and the middle class faces a lifetime of financial insecurity following by an old age of sickness and penury.
It may not be a good vision, but it’s a vision.”
//////////////
Yea, verily. One wonders why there has to be any formal opposition party, progressive or not, lead or not, for voters to understand what is clearly presented to them by the PUKES and vote their own self interest. It should be 99 to one, not 50/50.
Wake Up Fools. The Republicans want to Kill America but they can’t do it without your vote.
#74 – Of course, Bobo’s unasked question is why, if this is really so bad, do the liberals keep losing?
The answer is that liberals lie. According to their “spin machine”, Republicans want their elderly parents to eat dog food and die off quickly before the medical bills ramp up.
A more realistic view can be seen in this cartoon.
http://goo.gl/4zcWH
Liposuction vs. sucking at America’s teat
#75–JB==why do you lie? The “liberal spin” is clearly quoted at #74. You can’t win an argument on the merits, on the facts and the truth, so you mischaracterize the liberal complaints to make it sound like the liberal concerns are invalid when they are what they are.
I see no dog food and early death argued in the quoted material which is the only spin at issue except for your made up crap. Why don’t you deal with reality? Because you would lose if you did. So why are supporting the program as quoted which is against your own economic self interest?
Wake Up JBenson. The Republicans want to Kill America but they can’t do it without your vote.
Bobbo …
“HMyers–you fail to address any of the issues I challenged you with. Man or devo? Can you be the best person you know you should be?”
Err? What challenges? Last time you just started calling me names when I voiced the support for the need of financial responsibility and said only the Tea Party is doing anything about this.
I don’t give a crap about political parties, but we need to save this country to prevent a financial meltdown.
And anyone willing to take the hit deserves to be applauded.
The Tea Party deserves the “put up or shut up” award.
Obama just throws lavish parties and runs off to Brazil or plays golf every weekend — maybe his role as Rockstar president is to moderate and cave to the Tea Party’s demands.
Weak and distracted leaders can have a place in the history books.
I won’t support any party (the Democrats) who are not offering the idea of a future for this country. And yes, I am a hardcore atheist who groans when tards in Tennessee want to teach evolution in schools.
But what I have always understood about evolution is THAT **you are NOT the fittest if you don’t survive**. And fuckall if the USA doesn’t survive. It **must survive.
Mark Levin: This deal is a historic scam.
http://theblaze.com/stories/mark-levin-on-budget-deal-this-is-a-historic-scam/
HMyers–probably not worth looking up but I don’t think I called you any names. I did characterize the nature of your arguments or conclusions. Together with Animby, this blog sure is developing thin skin, so thin, it could well be a stalking horse for something else entirely.
You say: “The Tea Party deserves the “put up or shut up” award.” /// I agree and my vote would be for “Shut Up.” I think the summary quoted at Post #76 fairly characterizes Ryan’s proposal. Its a very sad state of affairs when something that parthetic and destructive of America can be given in praise at all for being “serious” or as the quote says “having vision.” It is SO bad, one has to wonder what is worse: the continued destruction of America by traditional two party corrupt Parties as we have experienced it, or that proposed by Ryan which is simply an all out assault on the poor and middle class achieving the same results?
Wake Up hmyers. The Republicans want to Kill America but they can’t do it without your vote.
#75
Liberals lose in the US because they are part of the Democratic party, which is run by a bunch of losers.
The ossified DEM party lions actively squash anyone with a backbone. They did it to Hillary and to Howard Dean. Tried to fend of Bill, but he could fight. They produced an epic list loser nominees: Walter Mondale, Michael Dukakis, and John Kerry.
Liberal populism became a dirty idea during the same period when the richest few percent were siphoning off all the economic gains.
Compare this to the golden age of America, as we see it now. WWII until 1960, with an enjoyable after-party in the early sixties.
Lots of things changed, but right now I’m thinking about the public’s idea of the power of cooperative action.
Go to Germany and Japan. Win. Rock the neo-puritan sensibilities of the time with sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Win. Protest the unpopular Vietnam War. Win.
That goes much later than my early 1960′s cutoff.
The why: Nixon’s blueprint “Southern Strategy”
of selling wedge issues worked so damn well. It has driven the hard right into really insane places.
By convincing somebody they are under attack from a Communist, Black, Liberal, Latino or (Heavens! Oh no!!) a true Progressive works really well. Fear sells even better than sex. Everyone can get scared, but not everyone can get laid.
So it is a mix of the spinelessness of the Dems and the calculated evil of the GOP: that is why liberals lose.